Michaud Announces Additional Federal Aid for Great Northern Paper Mill Workers

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud today announced nearly $285,000 in federal aid to the workers from the Great Northern Paper Mill impacted by layoffs. The funding will go toward the Maine Department of Labor, and compliments federal Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits made available to mill workers in May.

"Having worked at the East Millinocket mill for more than 29 years, the developments there are extremely personal. This funding from the Department of Labor will help many of the GNP employees and comes in addition to an earlier round of relief funding we brought to East Millinocket in May," said Michaud. "These workers are among the best papermakers in the world. I will continue to do everything I can to assist in this situation however possible. And, as I have said, I expect Cate Street to live up to its financial obligations to the mill workers and towns over the coming months."

Today's funding will serve as a "wrap-around" to the TAA benefits first announced in May, allowing impacted employees to access services not accessible through TAA. TAA is a program of the Department of Labor that helps workers who have lost their jobs as a result of increased imports or a shift of production outside of the United States. TAA provides these trade-affected workers with a variety of reemployment services and benefits to help them find new jobs and get back to work.

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